Meng Ting thought for a moment and then said, “You don’t need to worry about me. Under normal circumstances, he can’t beat me.”
Yan Sui recalled Meng Ting’s skills at the seaside gathering, raised an eyebrow, and nodded slightly. He knew that Meng Ting wasn’t as easy to bully as he seemed; when it came time to fight back, he wouldn’t hold back.
For example, just now, Meng Ting didn’t want to endure it; the boundaries in his heart had always been very clear.
Yan Sui raised his hand to stroke Meng Ting’s cheek, then covered his eyes and pulled him into his arms again.
“If you’re sleepy, just go to sleep. I’ll wake you up when we get there.”
“Mm,” Meng Ting replied softly, the corners of her mouth curving up, and then he really leaned against Yan Sui and slept all the way to their destination.
They weren’t heading back to the company; instead, they drove to the outskirts. After nearly two hours on the road, their car finally stopped in front of a small village. Yan Mingya and Zhao Bing got out first, and Yan Sui woke up Meng Ting before getting out.
“There are many flower farmers here, let’s come and take a look.”
Yan Sui was holding Meng Ting’s hand and then explained something to Yan Mingya, but actually, what he wanted to show Yan Mingya wasn’t this.
Meng Ting was still a bit dazed at first, but as he inhaled the fragrance of the flowers, he gradually became more alert.
After negotiating with the flower farmer, Meng Ting took the scissors while Yan Sui carried the basket for him as they walked towards the flower fields. The flower fields in this village are mostly grown in greenhouses, and these flowers are mainly sent to the flower market; very few are actually used to make perfume.
Yan Mingya was outside chatting with the flower farmers, while Yan Sui and Meng Ting went inside. Meng Ting was picking and selecting flowers, and Yan Sui silently followed behind him. However, he was actually feeling dizzy from the overwhelming fragrance, while Meng Ting seemed unaffected.
He picked very quickly, going through several flower sheds and selecting different types. Returning to the tea house where the farmer usually rested, Meng Ting started to bundle the flowers again. There were a lot of flowers, so Meng Ting tied them into three bundles, even Zhao Bing got a share.
“Why don’t you all take a whiff and see if you like it?” Meng Ting placed the bouquets on the table in front of each person, then sat back down, picked up his teacup, and gulped it down. Yan Sui, Yan Mingya, and Zhao Bing were all momentarily stunned before they picked up the flowers in front of them to smell.
Yan Sui was in a daze because Meng Ting had suddenly revoked his exclusive right to choose flowers. Yan Mingya and Zhao Bing, on the other hand, were receiving flowers for the first time in their lives, and they were from someone with a relatively special status—Meng Ting, who was Yan Mingya’s little aunt and Zhao Bing’s boss’s partner.
However, these three people are all well-experienced and, after a brief moment of astonishment, they didn’t show any other unusual reactions.
They each picked up a bouquet and took a sniff, then they fell into a brief silence. They weren’t professional perfume connoisseurs and couldn’t answer other questions, but Meng Ting asked them whether they liked it or not, which was purely subjective question and much easier to answer.
“Like,” Yan Sui put the flowers back on the table, then reached out and took Meng Ting’s hand.
Meng Ting smiled at him upon hearing his words, then turned to Yan Mingya and Zhao Bing. He already knew Yan Sui’s answer in Country F, but not Yan Mingya and Zhao Bing’s. Moreover, Meng Ting knew that for people who don’t like using perfume, it’s actually quite difficult to like it on the first try.
“The fragrance is very special, I can’t quite describe it, but I think it’s better than the usual floral scents.”
On his birthday, Yan Mingya also received perfume as a gift. He doesn’t use it much, but in terms of feel and taste, he’s not bad. They have many gatherings every day, so he naturally gets to smell various scents on others. Over time, he naturally developed a taste for perfume.
After saying this, Yan Mingya nodded and said, “I like it.”
Zhao Bing usually speaks little, but when Meng Ting looked over, he also nodded along and said, “I feel the same way.”
He was just using Yan Mingya’s words, so he didn’t have to bother thinking of anything else. Yan Mingya shot him a glance, and he stiffly twitched his lips, managing a rather ugly smile.
Meng Ting, upon hearing this, shifted his gaze back to Yan Mingya, thought for a moment, and then said, “Take the flower with you. Smell it more tonight and tomorrow morning, and then tell me the answer.”
“Okay,” Yan Mingya replied, then picked up the bouquet, occasionally smelling and feeling it.
Yan Sui scratched the scar on Meng Ting’s palm, finally pulling his gaze back. Meng Ting looked at Yan Sui, waiting for him to speak.
“We’ll stay the night and go back tomorrow,” Yan Sui said, seeing that Meng Ting had no intention of objecting. He looked at Zhao Bing, “You take Ming Ya back, and come pick us up tomorrow noon.”
Obviously, Zhao Bing also just realized what Yan Sui meant. He nodded. Yan Mingya had no objection either. It would be inconvenient for him if he was asked to stay over suddenly, and he didn’t have the hobby of being a light bulb either.
He and Zhao Bing checked the time; it was already past three in the afternoon. It would take at least two hours to get back to the city, so they decided not to delay any longer.
***
Naturally, they did not forget to take the flowers with them when they left. Although Zhao Bing had a poker face, it was still evident that he was quite happy to receive flowers from Meng Ting.
They walked out of the tea house, and only then did Meng Ting retract his gaze, looking at Yan Sui, “What are we staying for?”
In this tea house, there were only the two of them. Yan Sui no longer restrained his actions; he stood up, sat beside Meng Ting, then pulled him into his arms, biting Meng Ting’s earlobe gently with his teeth.
Meng Ting endured the strange sensation in his ears, not daring to struggle much, but his doubts in his heart only grew even more.
“Yan Sui, it’s not even dark yet…” Moreover, all the windows around this tea house are open, and that door isn’t locked, so someone could come in at any moment.
Yan Sui’s teeth grinding stopped, and Meng Ting thought he had guessed right. He gently patted Yan Sui’s back, “Be good, bear with it for a while.”
But Yan Sui seemed unable to hold back, Meng Ting’s earlobe was being sucked, and the intense sensation brought by desire made him feel a tingling sensation from the top of his head to the tips of his toes in an instant.
However, Meng Ting still didn’t dare to move much, his face flushed red, but he didn’t dare to move at all. He was afraid that if he moved too much, Yan Sui would find it increasingly difficult to hold back. But this place really wasn’t suitable for them to be intimate.
Yan Sui had bullied Meng Ting’s earlobe enough and finally loosened his grip a bit, but Meng Ting was still trapped in his embrace. He opened his eyes and looked at the person. There was a ring of physiological tears in his eyes, looking like a peach blossom moistened by spring rain, both watery and beautiful.
Yan Sui’s kiss fell again, landing on Meng Ting’s suddenly lowered eyelashes, then brushing past the corner of his eye, gently sucking away that bit of glittering crystal. In his gaze, Meng Ting’s cheeks turned even redder, but no matter how shy he felt, he never showed any rejection towards his closeness.
Meng Ting’s intentions are easy to understand. If Yan Sui doesn’t mind, then he won’t mind either. Whatever Yan Sui does, he might not necessarily understand or be able to help, but he will definitely accompany him. He will always choose the same stance as Yan Sui.
Understanding this point, it was really difficult for Yan Sui to let go of Meng Ting. He really wanted to kiss his lips, but he didn’t dare to do so; otherwise, he would really not be able to hold back. Their foreheads touched, and a helpless smile appeared at the corner of Yan Sui’s mouth
Meng Ting opened his eyes and saw the faint smile. He still obediently curled up his body, and after a while, he finally asked, “Is it better?”
Hearing this, Yan Sui’s lips curled into a more pronounced expression of helplessness. He ruffled Meng Ting’s hair, then reached out and pulled him tightly into his embrace, whispering, “I can’t get better.”
A man living to the age of twenty-eight without ever having been in a relationship or having any intimate contact with anyone is not impossible in this vast world. However, in the elite circles of Haicheng, such a person is indeed a rare and peculiar existence. Yet, Yan Sui is just that.
Besides being indifferent to sex, it’s hard to explain. Gu Lang and a few people have said this, and Yan Sui himself felt the same way. However, after meeting Meng Ting, it was no longer the case. Meng Ting had misunderstood him just now, but it wasn’t really a misunderstanding.
He was a little jealous and took advantage of the situation to bully the person, and he then he felt something from it, so he can’t get better.
This was clearly supposed to be a frustrating remark, but Yan Sui managed to say it in a warm and doting way, making Meng Ting’s already burning ears feel even hotter.
He pondered for a moment, leaned his head against Yan Sui’s neck, and then spoke in a very low voice, “Then… should we find a place where no one is around?” It seemed like there was no other solution.
When it comes to indulging the person, Meng Ting is actually no less than Yan Sui. While Yan Sui would still try to restrain himself and manage others, Meng Ting is purely willing to give whatever Yan Sui wants, and sometimes even goes out of his way to make the person happy.
Yan Sui didn’t say anything more; he just held Meng Ting for a while longer before loosening his grip a bit.
He looked at Meng Ting’s still-red earlobe, slowly raised his hand to rub it, and then glanced at the flowers on the table. His tone became slightly more serious, “Let’s forget about it today. From now on, you can’t give flowers to anyone except me. Remember that?”
Meng Ting fell silent for a long while after hearing those words. Before he could say anything, both sides of his cheeks started to burn. It turned out he had misunderstood, and it was a huge misunderstanding at that.
He nodded randomly, “Mm.”
Yan Sui smiled, then leaned over and kissed both of his cheeks.
“There’s a resort nearby; let’s stay there for a night and then head back.”
In the past two months, apart from going abroad for their honeymoon, he hadn’t taken Meng Ting out for any special outings. Today, he finally found some time and wanted to make Meng Ting even happier.
Meng Ting was still caught up in the embarrassment of the big misunderstanding and nodded again.
Yan Sui picked up the bouquet and then took Meng Ting’s hand, “We need to ask for directions first.”
Meng Ting tightened his grip on Yan Sui’s hand, and only then did he nod again.
His obedient and shy demeanor was truly adorable. In another place, Yan Sui would really want to turn Meng Ting’s misunderstanding into reality. However, now, he could only lead him out of the tea house with a hint of regret, ask someone for directions, and then they walked to the resort.
At this time, the weather is still a bit hot, but walking in the shaded areas and feeling the mountain breeze, it is not unbearable.
***
“Are you guys from the city?”
When Yan Sui was asking for directions, a teenager in his teens overheard him. He followed them for a while, and seeing that they weren’t in a hurry, he came up to talk to them.
He glanced over and chose to ask Yan Sui a question, perhaps because Yan Sui looked more like a city dweller than Meng Ting.
“Yes,” Yan Sui replied. He looked at the young boy and asked, “Why aren’t you in class at this time?”
The boy frowned, seemingly not very fond of the topic, but still told the truth, “I skipped class.”
“School is pointless, I want to go to the city… I want to make money.”
It seems that because Yan Sui and Meng Ting are outsiders, it actually makes him more eager to share his thoughts. No one continued to ask, so he spoke up himself, “I want to make money. With money, I can pay for my grandfather’s medical treatment and give him a good life.”
Yan Sui and Meng Ting still didn’t say anything, and the young boy continued, “My parents are divorced. My dad left a few years ago. He doesn’t care about me or my grandpa.”
Yan Sui looked over, frowning again, “Don’t preach to me about the virtues of studying hard. Teacher Li has told me countless times. But while I can slowly make my way, my grandfather can’t wait.”
“What is your name?” Meng Ting turned around and waved at him. The young boy looked at Meng Ting with a hint of caution, then glanced at Yan Sui, before taking a few more steps closer.
“This is Lijia Village, my name is Li Lan.”
He puffed out his chest and said, “You don’t have to feel sorry for me. Just tell me what’s the most profitable thing in the city.”
“You guys are on the road to the resort, and it will still take you another hour, but I know a shortcut. I’ll take you there, and then you tell me the answer.” He said, glancing at the sky, “My grandpa said it will rain with thunder in half an hour at most, and there aren’t many places to take shelter from the rain on this road.”
This Li Lan is actually quite clever, though a bit dark and yellow in complexion, he still has some backbone.
“Lead the way.”
Yan Sui opened his mouth, but Li Lan did not know how significant his words would be for him and his grandfather.
Li Lan, upon hearing this, ran ahead of them. He didn’t immediately start asking for answers; he found the way and led them.
“You city folks don’t understand our weather here. If he says it’s going to rain, it’s going to rain. What good is a weather forecast? It only tells you it’s going to rain after it has already started.”
Li Lan’s criticism was spot on; even Meng Ting was amused by him.
“Your grandfather is very powerful.”
“That’s right,” Li Lan was very close to his grandfather, puffed out his chest, and showed off a bit, looking somewhat like a young boy now.
“Does your family also grow flowers?” Meng Ting heard Yan Sui say this. Most of the people in this area are flower farmers, and the probability of the Li family being one is very high.
Li Lan glanced at the flowers in Yan Sui’s hand and shook his head gently, “My grandfather used to grow them before he got sick, but after he got sick, he couldn’t anymore.”
He said while looking at his hands, “I don’t know how to do it, Grandpa won’t let me learn, and our family’s land has all been rented out.”
The two of them relied entirely on the rent from the land to make a living, barely managing to make ends meet. However, when it came to medical expenses, that money was not enough. Moreover, the old man’s thoughts were entirely on his grandson; he was somewhat planning for Li Lan’s future.
The three of them were talking as they walked down the small path towards the resort, but Li Lan’s estimate was also off. Just as they could see the resort, raindrops the size of beans started to fall. Yan Sui took off his jacket and covered Meng Ting’s head with it, and Meng Ting then placed it on Li Lan’s head.
“Your grandfather is sick, you can’t get sick too.”
Meng Ting said as he took off his coat, then waved to Yan Sui, “Let’s go together.”
“Okay,” Yan Sui nodded. He wrapped one arm around Meng Ting and grabbed Li Lan’s hand with the other, and the three of them ran towards the resort together.
The rain kept getting heavier, and the entire world was shrouded in a curtain of rain. Water splashed up wherever their leather shoes stepped on the ground. After about a kilometer of walking, the three of them were completely soaked to the bone.
However, they still owe Li Lan; there’s still a big difference between getting drenched for ten minutes and getting drenched for over half an hour.
Wow, no new idiom in this chapter.
Check out my completed & current project at my carrd. If you like my translation, you can buy me coffee at Ko-fi~ Thank you.